GRUNT
(NZ) Fee: $22,000 inc GST | 16.2hh | 2014
O’Reilly (NZ) x Ruqqaya (NZ), by Van Nistelrooy (USA)
As Yulong’s foundation stallion and a Group 1-winning son of champion stallion O’Reilly, Grunt provides the perfect combination of speed and endurance and is free of Danzig blood. Ranking elite amongst his generation, he retired with a Timeform rating of 123. His first yearling crop were well received throughout the 2022 Australian sales, and he made an excellent start with his first juveniles in the 2022/23 season.
From just a handful of runners, they were headlined by Tony and Calvin McEvoy’s exciting colt Veight. A six-length winner on debut, he then won the Group 2 VRC Sires’ Produce Stakes by two lengths at Flemington before finishing fourth in the Group 1 Sires’ Produce Stakes at Randwick. With his progeny expected to improve into their Classic year, an exciting new season awaits for Grunt.
“We have been loving the progeny of Grunt. They all seem to have extremely good brains, are physically very strong, and we’re excited about the young horses we have coming through our system, especially Veight. He is a horse that won a Group 2 at his second start and then took us up to Sydney for an outstanding run in the Group 1 Sires’ Produce Stakes. He is the type of horse that we are going to be targeting towards a Caulfield Guineas and possibly a Cox Plate - we are very excited about the Spring with him.”
At 3: VRC Australian Guineas, Gr.1 (1600m), CS Hayes S., Gr.3 (1400m), SAJC Holdfast Insurance H. (1600m), WRC Maiden P. (1400m)
At 4: VRC Makybe Diva S., Gr.1 (1600m)
Northern Dancer
Last Tycoon
Mill Princess
Sex Appeal
Mill Reef
O’REILLY (NZ)
GRUNT
1st Dam
RUQQAYA (NZ)
Courtza Van Nistelrooy
Pompeii Court
Hunza
Storm Cat
Halory
Irish Las
Tell
Port Damascus
Pakistan II
Chatty Lady
Storm Bird
Terlingua
Halo
Cold Reply
Sir Tristram
Sayyida
Zabeel
Eastern Princess
Lady Giselle
Pompeii Court
Benazir
RUQQAYA (NZ), by Van Nistelrooy (USA). 2 wins at 2000m, 2100m, BOP RC Radisson Plaza Resort Air Tahiti Nui H. Half-sister to OCEAN PARK, Lady Sayyida (dam of EXCELIDA). Dam of 6 named foals, 5 to race, all winners, inc:
GRUNT (c by O’Reilly) 5 wins. See above.
ZAYYDANI (f by Savabeel) 6 wins from 1600m to 2150m, A$747,225, to 2021-22, VRC Matriarch S., Gr.2, Qld Tatt’s RC Gold Crown, L, Ballarat Cup, L, 3d SAJC Centaurea S., L, 4th SAJC South Australian Derby, Gr.1, MRC Coongy Cup, Gr.3, BRC Lord Mayor’s Cup, Gr.3 Addison (f by Jimmy Choux) 3 wins from 1300m to 1600m, A$124,200, 3d SAJC Birthday Cup, L
2nd Dam
SAYYIDA, by Zabeel. 2 wins at 1400m, 1600m. Broodmare of the Year in NZ in 2012-13. Half-sister to Brilliant Princess (dam of PRINCE KAAPSTAD). Dam of 5 foals, 4 to race, all winners, inc:-
OCEAN PARK (c Thorn Park) Horse of the Year in NZ in 2012-13. Champion Middle Distance Horse in AUS & NZ in 2012-13. 8 wins from 1200m to 2050m, NZ$343,925, A$2,529,000, MVRC WS Cox P., Gr.1, ARC New Zealand S., Gr.1, MRC Underwood S., Gr.1, Caulfield S., Gr.1, Hawkes Bay Makfi Challenge S., Gr.1, Wellington S., Gr.3, 2d ATC Rosehill Guineas, Gr.1, ARC Great Northern Guineas, Gr.2, Waikato Guineas, Gr.3, 3d VRC LKS Mackinnon S., Gr.1, 4th Otaki Maori RC WFA S., Gr.1. Sire. Ruqqaya. 2 wins. See above.
Lady Sayyida. 3 wins at 1400m, 2050m. Dam of:
EXCELIDA (f Exceed and Excel) 6 wins-1 at 2-to 1400m, A$733,725, to 2022-23, VRC Rose of Kingston S., Gr.2, 2d VRC Hong Kong
Jockey Club S., Gr.3, Matron S., Gr.3, 3d VRC Empire Rose S., Gr.1, Frances Tressady S., Gr.3, MRC Victoria H., Gr.3, SAJC RA Lee S., Gr.3, MRC Anniversary Vase H., L, John Dillon S., L, Twilight Glow S., L, 4th Geelong RC Black Pearl S., L.
3rd Dam
EASTERN PRINCESS, by Pompeii Court. 6 wins from 1600m to 2200m, A$76,560. Three-quarter-sister to COURTZA (dam of O’REILLY), OUR POMPEII, HUNZA COURT, TISZAE, Pennies in Heaven (dam of SINGLE CURRENCY, SUPER JOCKEY), half-sister to CRITIC. Dam of 6 foals, 3 to race, 2 winners, inc: Sayyida. 2 wins. See above. Brilliant Princess. Unraced. Dam of 3 winners: PRINCE KAAPSTAD (g Kaapstad) 5 wins-1 at 2-from 1200m to 2100m, NZ$507,990, ARC Easter H., Gr.1, Great Northern Guineas, Gr.2, 2d New Zealand Derby, Gr.1, Avondale Guineas, Gr.2, 3d Hawkes Bay Mudgway Partsworld S., Gr.1, BOP RC Tauranga S., Gr.3, 4th Hawkes Bay Windsor Park Challenge P., Gr.1, ARC Great Northern Foal S., L
Grunt has made a strong start at stud with some promising early results from his first crop of two-year-olds. Leading the way is Yulong-bred and sold Veight, with a dominant victory in the G2 Sires’ Produce Stakes following his devastating debut win at Pakenham for Tony & Calvin McEvoy.
Good movers. Great minds. Going places. Fast!
Veight as a $100,000 Magic Millions weanling
Veight as a $220,000 Inglis Classic yearling
Veight winning the G2 Sires’ Produce Stakes
Grunt x Motown Lil filly
Sold at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale to John O’Shea Racing Ladies Syndicate for $220,000
Grunt x Evening Slippers filly
Sold at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale to Matt Laurie Racing/Justin Bahen for $340,000
Grunt x Joan’s a Jett (NZ) filly Sold at the NZB National Yearling Sale to KPW Bloodstock for $380,000
Grunt x Apprise colt
Sold at the Inglis Classic Yearling Sale to McEvoy Mitchell Racing Pty Ltd/Belmont Bloodstock Agency (FBAA) for $205,000
Grunt x Our Daisy filly
Sold at the Inglis Premier Yearling Sale to Rich River Meat Exports Pty Ltd for $220,000